SEDONA, Ariz. – Sometime between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. the night of August 4, 2020 a sewage spill occurred along SR179 associated with the SR179 Sewer Main Replacement Project that is currently under construction. The spill was contained and disinfected around 8:30 p.m. that same evening. Kinney Construction Services, the contractor for the construction project, is responsible for this accidental spill.
Untreated liquid effluent was reported coming out of a manhole in front of the Hillside Sedona Shopping Center and flowed into a storm drain which then drained into Oak Creek approximately 750 feet downstream from the SR179 bridge over Oak Creek. At this time, it is estimated that approximately 15,000 - 20,000 gallons of effluent spilled into the creek. For context, the volume of effluent translates to approximately 150 gallons per minute. For comparison, Oak Creek’s rate of flow is 13,000 gallons per minute.
The immediately affected areas of the creek have been cordoned off with yellow caution tape. The city and Kinney Construction Services have commenced water quality tests both upstream and downstream of the spill area. Soil tests will be taken in the spill vicinity. We expect to receive test results in approximately 24 hours that will be sent to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The city will continue working closely with ADEQ to develop additional steps that may be needed to remediate the spill. Kinney Construction Services is hand-delivering information on this spill to residents and business with direct creek access located downstream from the spill. Other public notices have been placed at trailheads and areas where people frequently access Oak Creek.
As a result of this incident, work has been temporarily suspended as the contractor develops a plan to ensure that a spill does not occur again and to safely continue moving forward with the utility installation project. The contractor will continue to make every attempt to complete work along SR179 as soon as possible.
The city will continue to keep the community informed as new information becomes available. For project information, including an FAQ on this incident, please visit www.sr179sewermainreplacement.com. To contact a project team member with questions regarding this event, email news@sr179sewermainreplacement.com or call the Project Hotline at (928) 852-4164.
